By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
HomeCare Matters Home Health and Hospice is holding an open house at its Galion office next Tuesday and Brandon Quail has no problem with opening the doors of his organization to the public.
“The reason we’re having the open house is we always have an ongoing need for volunteers, said Quail who serves as family support coordinator.
Quail cited the need for help with direct patient care and fundraising, most notably working with the well-known funnel cake trailer seen at festivals and fairs. But he was also quick to point out, “There are more volunteer opportunities than just those.”
Lots more which is why HomeCare Matters is having the open house from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. next Tuesday at the offices located at 1220 North Market Street in Galion.
“I always tell people we can use what you can bring to the table,” Quail said. “It’s not so much your ability, but your availability.”
HomeCare Matters provides not only hospice care, but also home skilled-nursing care, wound care, physical therapy and other services such as transportation to doctors’ appointments. Those services are often covered by private insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. But regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, Quail says no one is ever turned away.
“That’s the reason for our funnel cake stand and our celebrity waiter dinner,” Quail said about the organization’s fundraising activities.
The services, and opportunities to serve, go beyond home visits and medical care or transportation. There are also holiday cards that go to nursing home residents and prayer shawls for those who receive hospice care.
“We take cards every holiday to the nursing homes and every resident gets one. We need volunteers to color address those cards. It means a lot to the residents,” Quail said. “We provide a hand-knitted shawl for hospice patients. They are so special. Some patients ask to be buried with the shawls, but often they become family heirlooms.”
Tuesday’s open house will provide visitors with the opportunity to look at several different things HomeCare Matters provides and in addition those who do attend will receive a gift for taking the time to look things over.
“I’m looking for anyone that has the heart that wants to help. There are so many different opportunities here,” Quail said. “If you want to help and you are willing we have something you can do. I can plug you in anywhere. We’ll find something for you to help with. So you’re ability isn’t as important as your availability and your heart.”
HomeCare Matters serves Crawford, Richland and Morrow counties, plus parts or all of eight other surrounding counties. The organization currently has offices in both Galion and Bucyrus.